JP2016003979A - Sensor signal detection circuit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sensor signal detection circuit capable of appropriately detecting a sensor signal using a simple configuration.SOLUTION: The present invention pertains specifically to a contact detection circuit 9 for detecting a change in a direct-current sensor signal S based on a change in the physical quantity to be detected. The contact detection circuit 9 comprises: a reference signal generation circuit 22 for generating a reference signal K(S0+S1) from the direct-current sensor signal S; a trigger signal output circuit 24 for comparing the direct-current sensor signal S and the reference signal, and outputting a trigger signal TG on the basis of the result of the comparison; and a sample-and-hold circuit 23 which, when the trigger signal TG is outputted, holds the reference signal at start of the outputting of the trigger signal TG, and which, while the trigger signal TG is being outputted, outputs the reference signal that is held to the trigger signal output circuit 24. The trigger signal output circuit 24 uses, for comparison with the direct-current sensor signal S, the reference signal that is outputted from the sample-and-hold circuit 23 when the trigger signal TG is being outputted.

Description

  The present invention relates to a sensor signal detection circuit, and more particularly to a contact detection circuit of a vibration type touch signal probe that detects contact from a change in vibration state of a stylus.

  Conventionally, height gauges, three-dimensional measuring machines, contour measuring machines, and the like are known as measuring machines for measuring the shape and dimensions of an object to be measured. Among these, a contact-type measuring machine uses a touch signal probe that detects contact with an object to be measured. Various touch signal probes are known. One of them is an ultrasonic touch trigger probe (for example, Patent Document 1). The ultrasonic touch trigger probe vibrates the stylus with a piezoelectric element, and detects contact by monitoring changes in amplitude and frequency.

  In contact detection using this piezoelectric element, the piezoelectric element is excited in a resonance state by positive feedback control, and a detection output signal obtained from the detection electrode of the piezoelectric element becomes a sinusoidal signal. The amplitude and frequency of the sinusoidal signal change when the contact contacts the object to be measured. For example, as in the conventional first contact detection circuit shown in FIG. 6, in order to detect contact by amplitude information, a DC sensor signal S obtained by detecting and extracting only amplitude information from the obtained sinusoidal signal is obtained. An amplitude change detection circuit that generates a trigger signal TG at a point where the direct current level drops rapidly due to the contact of the direct current sensor signal S is used. In this amplitude change detection circuit, the trigger signal TG is generated by comparing the DC sensor signal S with a constant reference potential VREF.

  However, when the reference potential VREF having a constant value is used for probe contact detection, it is erroneously detected that the probe is in contact with the object to be measured even though the probe is not in contact with the object to be measured. Is a problem. This is due to the following reasons. In many cases, the DC sensor signal S includes a low-frequency state fluctuation component and a high-frequency noise component that show a slow amplitude change due to undulation or the like in the DC offset. Therefore, depending on the setting of the reference potential VREF, as shown in FIG. 6, the low frequency state fluctuation component and the high frequency noise overlap with the reference potential VREF at a point where the direct current sensor signal S is not suddenly changed, as shown in FIG. May erroneously detect that the sensor has touched the object to be measured, and an erroneous signal may be output. This erroneous detection has caused a large error with respect to the physical quantity to be detected.

  In order to avoid such false detection, the DC sensor signal S is extracted with a DC offset component S0 and a low-frequency state fluctuation component S1 using a low-pass filter, and the DC sensor includes the low-frequency state fluctuation component S1. A technique using a signal K (S0 + S1) obtained by amplitude-converting the signal (S0 + S1) as a reference signal has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 2).

  However, as shown in FIG. 7, in the conventional second contact detection circuit described in Patent Document 2, when the touch signal probe is kept in contact with the object to be measured, the probe is not In spite of being kept in contact with the object to be measured, an erroneous signal may be output due to a false detection that the probe has moved away from the object to be measured.

A technique for avoiding these erroneous detections of contact and non-contact detection has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 3).
The technique of Patent Document 3 is based on the technique of Patent Document 2 described above.
As shown in FIG. 8, the conventional third contact detection circuit 300 described in Patent Document 3 includes a low-pass filter 301, a conversion circuit 302, a selection circuit 303, a comparison circuit 304, and a conversion circuit 305. I have.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the conventional third contact detection circuit 300 compares the DC sensor signal S with the reference signal R in the comparison circuit 304, and when the DC sensor signal S is smaller than the reference signal R, A trigger signal TG is generated. When the trigger signal TG is not generated, the signal R1 = K (S0 + S1) obtained by converting the amplitude of the DC sensor signal (S0 + S1) is used as the reference signal R. The value of R1 changes following (S0 + S1). On the other hand, when the trigger signal TG is generated, the signal R2 = m · Rt1 is calculated using the sampling value Rt1 of the reference signal R at the time t1 when the trigger signal TG rises, and this R2 is used as the reference signal R. ing. The value of R2 is constant and does not change. When the trigger signal TG falls (time t2), the reference signal R is returned to the signal R1.

JP-A-6-221806 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-111143 JP 2009-276238 A

  However, in the technique of Patent Document 3, since it is necessary to calculate both the signal R1 = K (S0 + S1) and the signal R2 = m · Rt1 as the reference signal R, the configuration becomes complicated.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a sensor signal detection circuit that can appropriately detect a sensor signal with a simple configuration.

  The sensor signal detection circuit of the present invention is a sensor signal detection circuit for detecting a change in a DC sensor signal based on a change in a physical quantity to be detected, a reference signal generation unit that generates a reference signal from the DC sensor signal, and the DC sensor A trigger signal output unit that compares a signal with the reference signal and outputs a trigger signal based on the comparison result; and when the trigger signal is output, the reference signal at the output start time of the trigger signal A reference signal holding unit that holds and outputs the held reference signal to the trigger signal output unit while the trigger signal is output, and the trigger signal output unit outputs the trigger signal. The reference signal output from the reference signal hold unit is used for comparison with the DC sensor signal. To.

In the present invention, a reference signal is generated from a DC sensor signal, the DC sensor signal and the reference signal are compared, and a trigger signal is output based on the comparison result. Also, when the trigger signal is output, the reference signal at the start of trigger signal output is held, and the held reference signal is output to the trigger signal output unit while the trigger signal is output.
In this way, the reference signal at the time of outputting the trigger signal is held, and the held reference signal is used for comparison with the sensor signal thereafter. Thereby, while the trigger signal is output, the comparison between the DC sensor signal and the reference signal can be stably performed, and the sensor signal can be detected accurately.

  In the sensor signal detection circuit of the present invention, it is preferable that the reference signal is held in the reference signal holding unit by storing a charge in a capacitor and holding a voltage.

  In the present invention, the reference signal is held in the reference signal hold unit by storing the charge in the capacitor and holding the voltage. That is, the holding in the reference signal hold unit is performed not by software but by hardware having a capacitor. Therefore, unlike the case of calculating the reference signal for holding, it is not necessary to provide software for holding, and the configuration can be simplified correspondingly.

  In the present invention, in the DC sensor signal, a low frequency state fluctuation component and a high frequency noise component are superimposed on a DC level fluctuation component, and the high frequency noise component and the DC level are input by inputting the DC sensor signal. A low-pass filter unit that cuts out a fluctuation component and outputs the low-frequency state fluctuation component is further provided, and the DC sensor signal that has passed through the low-pass filter unit is used for comparison with the reference signal in the trigger signal output unit. It is preferred that

  In the present invention, by passing the DC sensor signal through the low-pass filter unit, the high-frequency noise component and the sudden DC level fluctuation component to be detected are removed, and the DC sensor signal including only the low-frequency state fluctuation component is obtained. Can do. By using such a DC sensor signal for comparison with the reference signal, the sensor signal can be detected more accurately.

  In the sensor signal detection circuit of the present invention, it is preferable that the DC sensor signal is obtained by extracting amplitude information from a sinusoidal output signal of a touch signal probe driven by a piezoelectric element.

  When amplitude information is extracted from a sinusoidal output signal of the touch signal probe to obtain a DC sensor signal, various components are superimposed on the DC sensor signal. This includes state fluctuation components due to temperature changes and changes with time. As described above, in the present invention, since the reference signal is generated from the DC sensor signal, the state variation component is included in both the DC sensor signal and the reference signal. In other words, the influence of the state change does not reach the comparison between the two. Therefore, the DC level change point can be reliably detected only by appropriately setting the ratio of the amplitude conversion of the noise component.

The figure which shows schematic structure of the contact sensor which applied the sensor signal detection circuit which concerns on embodiment of this invention as a contact detection circuit. The block diagram of a contact detection circuit. The circuit diagram of a sample and hold circuit. The graph for demonstrating the contact detection by a contact detection circuit. The flowchart which shows the output process of the reference signal by a sample and hold circuit. The graph for demonstrating the example of the contact detection by the conventional 1st contact detection circuit. The graph for demonstrating the example of the contact detection by the conventional 2nd contact detection circuit. The block diagram of the conventional 3rd contact detection circuit. The graph for demonstrating the example of the contact detection by the conventional 3rd contact detection circuit.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a contact sensor in which a sensor signal detection circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention is realized as a contact detection circuit 9. The stylus 1 of the contact sensor has a spherical contact 3 at the tip. A balancer 4 for maintaining the posture of the stylus 1 is provided at the rear end of the stylus 1. Further, the stylus 1 is held at a substantially central portion in the axial direction by a stylus holder 2.

  A piezoelectric element 5 that applies vibration to the stylus 1 is attached to a substantially central portion of the stylus 1. The piezoelectric element 5 includes a vibration electrode 51 for applying vibration to the stylus 1 and a detection electrode 52 for detecting the contact of the contact 3. A drive signal is given to the excitation electrode 51 from the drive circuit 8.

  The mechanical-electrical conversion output signal obtained at the detection electrode 52 is detected by the detection circuit 6. The output signal of the detection circuit 6 is positively fed back to the drive circuit 8, and the piezoelectric element 5 is excited at a predetermined resonance frequency by this feedback control.

  The detection output signal output from the detection circuit 6 is a sinusoidal signal whose amplitude decreases when the contact 3 contacts the object to be measured. The amplitude extraction circuit 7 detects and extracts only the amplitude information of the sinusoidal signal obtained from the detection electrode 52 of the piezoelectric element 5 of the detection circuit 6 and outputs the DC sensor signal S. The amplitude extraction circuit 7 includes, for example, a full-wave rectification circuit that converts alternating current into direct current, and a smoothing circuit that smoothes the alternating current component remaining after rectification.

  The contact detection circuit 9 detects, from the DC sensor signal S, a change in the DC level fluctuation component S3 that decreases rapidly due to the contact of the contact 3, and outputs a trigger signal TG.

Next, details of the configuration of the contact detection circuit 9 will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.
The contact detection circuit 9 includes a low-pass filter 21 (low-pass filter unit) to which the DC sensor signal S is input, a reference signal generation circuit 22 (reference signal generation unit) that converts the level of the output signal of the low-pass filter 21, and a reference signal generation A trigger signal TG is generated and output based on a comparison result between the sample and hold circuit (reference signal hold unit) 23 that samples or holds the output signal of the circuit 22 and the DC sensor signal S and the output signal of the sample and hold circuit 23. And a trigger signal output circuit (trigger signal output unit) 24.

  The DC sensor signal S input to the low-pass filter 21 includes a DC offset S0, a low-frequency state fluctuation component S1 (fluctuation due to temperature change and change over time), a high-frequency noise component S2, and the contact of the contact 3. Is superimposed on a DC level fluctuation component S3 which is a signal component detected by (S = S0 + S1 + S2 + S3).

  The low-pass filter 21 cuts off the high-frequency noise component S2 and the DC level fluctuation component S3 among the components of the DC sensor signal S, and only the DC offset component S0 and the low-frequency state fluctuation component S1, that is, (S0 + S1). Let it pass.

  The reference signal generation circuit 22 outputs a signal R1 = K (S0 + S1) obtained by multiplying the output signal (S0 + S1) by a coefficient K (0 <K <1). This signal R1 is selectively used as a reference signal R described later.

The value of the coefficient K is determined in consideration of the amplitude of the high frequency noise component S2. That is, by making the magnitude of ΔS = (1−K) (S0 + S1) larger than the maximum amplitude | S2 | of the high frequency noise component S2, it is possible to achieve high accuracy without being affected by the high frequency noise component S2. Contact detection is possible.
However, if the coefficient K is set too small, the generation time of the trigger signal TG will be different from the actual contact time of the contact 3, so that the coefficient K is possible in a range not affected by the high frequency noise component S2. It is desirable to make it as large as possible.

  The sample and hold circuit 23 sequentially acquires (samples) the signal R1 = K (S0 + S1) when the trigger signal TG is not output from the trigger signal output circuit 24 described later, and uses the acquired signal R1 as the reference signal R. The signals are sequentially output to the trigger signal output circuit 24. On the other hand, when the trigger signal TG is output, the signal at the start of the output of the trigger signal TG is held, and while the trigger signal TG is output, the held signal is continuously output to the comparison unit as the reference signal R. That is, the output signal of the sample and hold circuit 23 has a fluctuation value that fluctuates with the signal R1 when the trigger signal TG is not output, and becomes a fixed value when the trigger signal TG is output.

As shown in FIG. 3, the sample and hold circuit 23 includes a switch 231 and a capacitor 232. The switch 231 is configured to be turned on when the trigger signal TG is not output and to be turned off when the TG is output.
The sample of the signal R1 in the sample and hold circuit 23 is executed when the switch 231 is in the ON state. On the other hand, the holding of the reference signal R in the sample and hold circuit 23 is executed when the switch 231 is in the OFF state.
When the switch 231 is turned off, the electric charge of the capacitor 232 is held, and the reference signal R to be output is held at the value when the switch 231 is turned off regardless of the fluctuation of the input signal R1 = K (S0 + S1). The sample and hold circuit 23 is commercially available, and a commercially available product can be used as it is in this embodiment.

  The trigger signal output circuit 24 compares the DC sensor signal S (= S0 + S1 + S2 + S3) with the reference signal R (= R1 or Rt1) output from the sample and hold circuit 23, and the DC sensor signal S is smaller than the reference signal R. Sometimes a trigger signal TG is generated and output.

Next, the operation of the contact detection circuit 9 in the present embodiment will be described with reference to the graph of FIG. 4 and the flowchart of FIG.
Here, in the initial state, the contact 3 of the stylus 1 is separated from the object to be measured (not shown) (non-contact state), and then the contact 3 contacts the object to be measured, and the contact state is maintained for a while. After that, the case where the contact 3 is separated from the object to be measured again (shifts to a non-contact state) will be described as an example.

  In this case, when the DC sensor signal S is input to the low-pass filter 21 (step 1 (illustrated as “S1”, hereinafter the same)), the high-frequency noise component S2 and the transient DC level fluctuation component S3 are blocked, A signal (S0 + S1) having only the DC offset S0 and the low-frequency state fluctuation component S1 is extracted (step 2) and output. The reference signal generation circuit 22 multiplies the output signal (S0 + S1) of the low-pass filter 21 by a coefficient K (step 3), and outputs a signal R1 = K (S0 + S1).

  Until the time t1 (step 4: YES), since the contact 3 of the stylus 1 is not in contact with the object to be measured, the DC sensor signal S is equal to or higher than the reference signal R = R1. In this non-contact state, the trigger signal TG is not output (step 5), so that the switch 231 is in the on state, and the sequentially changing signal R1 = K (S0 + S1) is output as the reference signal R (step). 6).

Thereafter, when the contact 3 comes into contact with the object to be measured and shifts to the contact state, the DC sensor signal S rapidly decreases, and the DC sensor signal S falls below the signal R1 at time t1 (step 4: YES → NO). . Then, the trigger signal TG is output (step 7), and the sample and hold circuit 23 holds the reference signal R. As shown in FIG. 4, since the signal R1 at time t1 is Rt1, the reference signal R from time t1 to time t2 is held at the value Rt1 (step 8).

  That is, the reference signal R switches from the fluctuation value (signal R1) according to the increase / decrease of the DC sensor signal S to the fixed value (signal Rt1) at the time t1. Since the contact state is maintained from time t1 to time t2, the reference signal R = Rt1 is compared with the DC sensor signal S.

  Thereafter, when the contact 3 is separated from the object to be measured, the DC sensor signal S increases rapidly, and the DC sensor signal S exceeds the signal R1 at time t2 (step 4: NO → YES). Then, since the output of the trigger signal TG is stopped (step 5), the switch 231 is turned on, and the signal R1 = K (S0 + S1) is output again from the sample and hold circuit 23 (step 6). That is, the reference signal R switches from the fixed value (signal Rt1) to the fluctuation value (signal R1) at the time t2.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, when the trigger signal TG is not output (when the contact 3 is in the non-contact state), the signal R1 that is a fluctuation component derived from the DC sensor signal S is used as the reference signal R. When the trigger signal TG is output (when the contact 3 is in contact), the signal Rt1 that is a fixed value is used as the reference signal R. By switching the reference signal R in this way, the contact 3 is compared with the case where the signal R1 which is a fluctuation component is continuously used as the reference signal R and the case where the signal Rt1 which is a fixed value is continuously used as the reference signal R. It is possible to accurately determine contact / non-contact.

  In this embodiment, the value of the signal R2, which is a fixed value, is set to the value of the reference signal R at the output start time of the trigger signal TG. This setting is performed by holding of the sample and hold circuit 23. The sample and hold circuit 23 can be easily configured using the switch 231 and the capacitor 232 and is also commercially available. Therefore, the configuration of the contact detection circuit 9 can be simplified as compared with the invention described in Patent Document 3 in which the signal R2 (= m · Rt1) is calculated by software.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but includes modifications and improvements as long as the object of the present invention can be achieved.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the amplitude of the direct current level fluctuation component S3 decreases when contact is detected has been described. On the contrary, when the contact is detected, the direct current level fluctuation component S3 includes The present invention is also applicable when the amplitude or the like increases. However, in this case, the value of the coefficient K needs to be larger than 1 (K> 1).

  In the embodiment, the signal R1 is calculated by multiplying the output signal (S0 + S1) of the low-pass filter 21 by the coefficient K (R1 = K (S0 + S1)), but from the output signal (S0 + S1) of the low-pass filter 21. You may calculate by subtracting the predetermined value L (R1 = S0 + S1-L).

  In the embodiment described above, an example in which contact detection is performed by extracting the amplitude of the DC sensor signal S in the contact sensor using the ultrasonic touch trigger probe has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can also be applied to a device that detects the frequency and phase of the DC sensor signal S and detects contact based on the change in frequency and phase. That is, the present invention can be applied to any sensor in which the DC sensor signal S includes the low-frequency state fluctuation component S1.

  In the above embodiment, the sample and hold circuit 23 is configured by hardware having the switch 231 and the capacitor 232, but may be configured by software.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case has been described in which the contact state is continued for a while after the contact 3 shifts from the non-contact state to the object to be measured and then returns to the non-contact state again. The present invention is applicable even when the contact 3 does not return from the contact state to the non-contact state and the contact state is maintained for a long time.

In the above embodiment, the reference signal R is switched from the signal R1 which is the fluctuation component to the fixed value signal Rt1 (step 8) simultaneously with the time t1 when the trigger signal TG is output (step 7). The timing may not be the same as the time t1, and may be after a predetermined time has elapsed after the time t1.
Similarly, in the above embodiment, the reference signal R is switched from the fixed value signal Rt1 to the signal R1 that is the fluctuation component (step 6) simultaneously with the time t2 when the trigger signal TG is output (step 5). The timing of this switching may not be simultaneous with time t2, but may be after a predetermined time has elapsed after time t2.

  In the embodiment, the example in which the sensor signal detection circuit is realized as the contact detection circuit 9 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be realized as, for example, a pressure detection circuit or an acceleration detection circuit.

  The present invention can be used for a vibration type touch signal probe that detects contact from a change in the vibration state of a stylus.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 9 ... Contact detection circuit (sensor signal detection circuit), 21 ... Low pass filter (low pass filter part), 22 ... Reference signal generation circuit (reference signal generation part), 23 ... Sample and hold circuit (reference signal hold part), 24 ... Trigger signal output circuit (trigger signal output unit), R ... reference signal, S ... DC sensor signal, S1 ... low frequency state fluctuation component, S2 ... high frequency noise component, S3 ... DC level fluctuation component, TG ... trigger signal.

Claims (4)

In a sensor signal detection circuit for detecting a change in a DC sensor signal based on a change in a physical quantity to be detected,
A reference signal generator for generating a reference signal from the DC sensor signal;
A trigger signal output unit that compares the DC sensor signal and the reference signal and outputs a trigger signal based on the comparison result;
When the trigger signal is output, the reference signal at the output start time of the trigger signal is held, and the held reference signal is output to the trigger signal output unit while the trigger signal is output. A reference signal hold unit,
The trigger signal output unit uses the reference signal output from the reference signal hold unit for comparison with the DC sensor signal when the trigger signal is output. . The sensor signal detection circuit according to claim 1,
The sensor signal detection circuit according to claim 1, wherein the reference signal is held in the reference signal hold unit by storing electric charge in a capacitor and holding a voltage. In the sensor signal detection circuit according to claim 1 or 2,
In the DC sensor signal, a low frequency state fluctuation component and a high frequency noise component are superimposed on a DC level fluctuation component,
A low-pass filter unit that inputs the DC sensor signal, blocks the high-frequency noise component and the DC level fluctuation component, and outputs the low-frequency state fluctuation component;
The sensor signal detection circuit, wherein the DC sensor signal that has passed through the low-pass filter unit is used for comparison with the reference signal in the trigger signal output unit. The sensor signal detection circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The sensor signal detection circuit, wherein the DC sensor signal is obtained by extracting amplitude information from a sinusoidal output signal of a touch signal probe driven by a piezoelectric element.

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